FAQS! FACTS! FAX! 132 (22/10/98)

TYPE APPROVAL

With reference the question from Charmian King ('Key Questions', F!F!F! October 8th). I have an answer to the Caps Lock problem. My PC is configured so that the shift key releases caps lock. I use a small shareware program called Stiletto that I downloaded from http://www.tucows.com

After it has been installed checking the option "Shift clears Caps Lock" under the Menu Setup tab of the Stiletto configuration.  Stiletto's has a veritable cornucopia of other functions, including reminders and alarms, and choice of sounds for use by Windows.

Stephen Roberts

And….

I saw the request from Charmian King on 8th October for a utility that would turn off caps lock using shift as an interesting challenge. I have written a program to do the job. If she would like a copy please follow the instructions below to obtain it. Should anyone else be interested in the software, then it should be on the Internet for the next three months. The software is extremely simple to use. Once set-up is complete, run the program Caps Shift from the Start Menu. Click Yes and, from that point onwards, the shift buttons will release caps lock.

I apologise for the size of the download, until Microsoft reduce the size of the Visual Basic Runtime library, I am afraid there is nothing that I can do. This software is Freeware - anybody who wants it can use it with my best wishes, I am not offering any support for the software and you use it entirely at your own risk.

The instructions for installing are as follows...

* Direct your web browser to http://www.ksrit.demon.co.uk/dra/caps.exe

and download the file. Save it in a new folder on your hard disk

* Run the caps.exe from wherever you placed it on your computer

* Click OK

* Follow the instructions through set-up

* The program can be removed if required by going to the Control Panel

Add/Remove programs applet and selecting Caps Shift

David Allsopp

A

We had an absolutely tremendous response to this seemingly innocuous query, clearly Charmian is not alone in her irritation with the computer keyboard. Thank you to everyone who wrote in. We have tried Stiletto and it works very well indeed, but we have to say that David Allsopp's bespoke program, written specifically for Ms King was especially impressive, and very easy to use. However, please bear in mind what he says about using it at your own risk and neither he nor F!F!F! take any responsibility for it, or offer any support, but your comments are very welcome.  

RENS RESOLVED

Tony Johnstone (Biteback, Connected October 8th)was concerned about the number of items that he was connecting to his telephone line, and that the REN maximum would be exceeded. If he takes a trip to his local Tandy store, he can purchase an Extension Booster, which allows a maximum REN value of 11, instead of the standard 4.

Robert Clark

And…

Regarding the letter from Tony Johnstone, about the number of devices that can be connected to a single BT line, RS Components list an extension booster (stock no. 207-9519) which increases the REN capability of a BT line from 4 to 11.

Nick Rayner

A

Thanks to Nick and Robert and the many other readers who wrote in with details of extension boosters. Incidentally RS Components do not sell direct to the public but products can be ordered through most electrical retailers.

WIPE OUT

Recently I inadvertently wiped out a complete document that I was typing using Word 97 and I wondered whether you could advise me how I could prevent it from ever occurring again. I was on the third page of a fairly complex document, which I had been saving religiously at appropriate intervals when, intending to type "August" using the upper case key plus 'A' for the first letter, my finger slipped and I hit the Ctrl key plus A. The result was that I ended up with a blank sheet apart from "ugust" in the top left hand corner! 

I tried to go back a page with no success and imagining that my machine had crashed I decided to exit the programme and start again. However, on the way out I was asked whether I wanted to save the changes that I had made and, not wishing to lose the typing that I had done just prior to the event and, without appreciating the implications, I duly clicked the 'yes' button. That proved to be a terminal mistake and I have since understood the reason why, namely that Ctrl plus A highlights the whole document and the next letter to be typed (the 'u' of August) replaces it with the 'u'. For the future, is there any way of de-activating the Ctrl plus A shortcut? Was there any way that I could have recovered the document after agreeing to save the change?

Keith Piggott.

A

A sorry tale but most of us have probably done something similar at one time or another; usually it's not the sort of mistake you repeat! Nevertheless, there are ways to prevent it from happening again, and get you out of trouble if it does… It's easy to disable the Ctrl + A keyboard command, it's called EditSelectAll, and you can remove it, or assign it to another key combination by going to the Tools menu, select Customise and click on the Keyboard button. In the Categories window scroll down to All Commands and highlight the entry. In the adjacent Commands window scroll down to EditSelectAll, highlight it, then the Ctrl-A entry in the Current keys window below and click Remove, or enter a new key combination in the Press New Shortcut Key text field. Removing the shortcut is a bit drastic, though it can be quite useful.

You can make sure that there's always an up to date copy of every file by enabling Word's 'Create Backup' and auto save features. You'll find them on the Tools menu, click Options then the Save tab. To be on the safe side you could also use the F!F!F! Backup macro (published September 3rd, which saves a backup copy of Word files to floppy disc.  

MORE FREE LUNCHES

I read the query under 'Free lunch' regarding the FS watermark. To remove it open up the Microsoft Internet folder and find the 'signup, folder. In there you will find the toolbar.bmp picture. You can either move it to a temporary file or delete it and 'hey presto' the button bar is back to normal.

Peter D Hopkins

A

Thanks for that, Freeserve also installs some other graphic elements in signup called: 22.bmp, 22S.bmp, 2238.bmp and 38S.bmp, rename or copy them (and toolbar.bmp) to another folder, just in case. This item also generated a lot of feedback, including quite a few E-mails from disgruntled Freeserve users who were having difficulty unloading the software. We're looking into the matter, if anyone else has any views on this service we would be interested to hear from them.

JUST THE FAX

On buying a new Windows 98 computer I was staggered to find that it did not include Microsoft Fax. As my Windows 95 address book already contains hundreds of entries I am unwilling to use other products.  The Windows 95  arrangement nicely integrated email with faxes. Very useful in the business world where not everyone has email.  Any suggestions?

Ted Lowres

A

Microsoft Fax is on the Windows 98 CD-ROM, but quite hidden, we covered this topic few weeks ago but since several other readers have also asked about this here's how to find it. Open Windows Explorer, change to the D: drive (or appropriate CD-ROM drive letter) open 'Tools', then Oldwin95, Intnl and click on 'Wms-exe', to install Windows Messaging, then return to the Intl folder and click on 'Awfax.exe'.